OT: Wisconsin would easily beat Tennessee
I watched the whole thing. Grant Williams would break the Glass Badgers. I predict he’d foul out in 3 minutes.
But seriously, Tennesee may be the best team in college. But without seeing anyone but Grant Williams play I have no idea.
January 23rd, 2019 at 9:45 PM ^
In both football and basketball. Tennessee is overrated!
January 23rd, 2019 at 10:02 PM ^
Wisconsin isn't very good. They can be tough at home in conference, but theyre a team that's put up 14 and 15 points in first halves of two B1G games, and are struggling with Minny.
Tennessee would beat Wisconsin. We are also much better than Wisconsin - they just beat us that day
January 23rd, 2019 at 10:05 PM ^
I think you’re underestimating the Glass Badgers. They draw offensive fouls like no other. And since Tennessee basketball is a bunch of linebackers that can shoot...Wisconsin would be their keyptonite.
January 24th, 2019 at 12:24 AM ^
This might be the matchup I would like to see the most in the second round of the tournament.
2 seed Tennessee takes on 7 seed Wisconsin and Grant Williams literally fouls out in 5 minutes as he Terry Tate Office Linebackers Davison and Trice all over the court. I mean, the force of Williams hitting Trice combined with Trice flinging himself backwards would send him into the stands, right?
We deserve this matchup.
January 23rd, 2019 at 10:12 PM ^
I will be shocked if Tennessee makes it to the sweet 16...not that they do not have the physical talent...they are an upset waiting to happen. They could be the next #1 to get knocked out by a
#16.
January 24th, 2019 at 8:47 AM ^
I agree that Tennessee probably is one of the upset specials in the Tournament, and yes, it would be chuckleworth if they became only the second #1 to fall to a 16-seed. I will say though that I am not sad at all that VIrginia owns the dubious honor of being the first such team
January 24th, 2019 at 10:30 AM ^
Why is this? Not arguing, just curious. I remember when Virginia lost, I was bummed that it was them that lost. Largely, they are a team with a good coach who built up a middling program into a relative powerhouse without recruiting exceptionally well. To me that seems like a team to root for. I would have much rather seen a team like Duke or Kentucky lose even though they have like 4 future NBA all stars.
January 23rd, 2019 at 10:49 PM ^
I read your post twice and still kind of don't get it.
now studying furiously and taking notes, splintering poles of chalk as we speak. will get back to you soon.
January 23rd, 2019 at 10:55 PM ^
It took me a few reads. Here's what I inferred:
- The title is serious. OP believes Wisconsin would beat Tenn
- The first paragraph was sarcasm about Wisconsin flopping, but also serious because it would be a factor in the game.
- The last paragraph was a joke about them only having one player (guy scored 43 points tonight) but was not being serious about them being the best team.
January 23rd, 2019 at 11:06 PM ^
Thank you for the translation from fandom to fact. I can now say that I understand, and I have nothing more to add constructively.
Good day.
January 23rd, 2019 at 11:28 PM ^
Brad Davison would break the NCAA record for most charges taken in one half before he inevitably gets thrown out for grabbing at guys' junk all the time
January 23rd, 2019 at 11:38 PM ^
Tennessee beat Gonzaga and their only loss is to Kansas (with Azubuike ) in OT on a neutral. They may not be #1 (it's probably Duke or UVA) but their one of the top 5 teams in the country and deserving of the rank.
January 24th, 2019 at 12:57 AM ^
I agree that they're probably top 5, definitely a top 6 team.
But they aren't even close to number 1. UVA and Duke are way ahead of them in the predictive quality rankings. And their resume doesn't compare to UVAs, whose only loss is at Duke by 2 (a much better loss than neutral to Kansas).
Tennessee is 5th in Torvik, 5th in kenpom, 4th in NET, 6th in Sagarin, 3rd in Bracket Matrix. You literally can't find a rating system that has them number 1 except the AP poll because the voters blindly drop teams that lose regardless of the full body of work or who the loss was to or how it happened. Only thing that matters is when you arbitrarily happen to play the toughest games on your schedule.
Tennessee beat Alabama by three at home on Saturday which is far less impressive than UVA losing by two at Duke, and yet one team moved way up the other moved way down.
So no, they aren't deserving of the ranking.
January 24th, 2019 at 1:58 PM ^
I mean like I said I think Duke or UVA is #1. But predictive quality rankings =/ AP Poll rankings. Polls like the AP are generally used as resume rankings, not predictive polls. Otherwise we'd see Purdue in the top 10.
Based on resume once again I agree UVA's is better and should be #1. But am I up in arms that Tennessee is #1? No, they have a plethora of Q1 wins including a top line win over Gonzaga, and their only single digit games before these last two were Gonzaga and Kansas. I can buy Tennessee as #1.
I also hope you're consistent with your logic saying that Tennessee shouldn't be #1 because they're #5 in KenPom and Torvik, because they're ahead of Michigan in both and if Michigan had won Saturday I'm sure you'd say we deserve #1.
January 24th, 2019 at 3:34 AM ^
I watched the 2nd half of the game tonight... Vandy had control of the game with a 4 point lead and 2 mins to play or so, and then a highly questionable technical foul gave TN the opportunity to tie it up. Plus what looked to me like a missed call leading to a Vandy turnover and they ended up in OT. And Vandy was 0-5 in the SEC. So, color me not impressed in the slightest.
January 23rd, 2019 at 11:39 PM ^
The thing to remember that in tourney time all those charges wisky gets at home go uncalled. The refs just stand there and stare as Wisconsin loses to a team that they would wax at home with big ten refs. There is a reason why Indiana under Knight (after he didnt have superior talent) and Purdue under Keady always underachieved in the tourney. The refs help with the regular season wins but do these teams a disservice by giving them this whistle crutch. What is strange is the Big Ten Refs seem to call decent games in the BTT. Anyways I dont believe huge free throw descrepencies at home are good coaching, well maybe coaches munipulating refs, but refs really taking over games and performing for the home crowd. Who doesnt want to be applauded all game.
January 24th, 2019 at 6:16 AM ^
well, how does it feel?
January 24th, 2019 at 8:59 AM ^
I'm assuming applause works for your livestock too, XM?
January 24th, 2019 at 9:03 AM ^
actually, when it gets cold like this the chickens in particular usually slow down their egg laying. so i tell the kids to go into the hen house and make a bubbling sound, like the sound of soup warming up....that'll get those poultry egg procrastinators a lesson!
January 24th, 2019 at 10:38 AM ^
What do you do with all of those eggs?
January 24th, 2019 at 11:21 AM ^
Probably makes a lot of Eggs Mattison
January 24th, 2019 at 11:21 AM ^
eat some, sell the rest. they are the best eggs on the planet (admittedly biased data). free range, well cared for, pastured poultry. it doesn't get better than that.
January 24th, 2019 at 9:20 AM ^
Tennessee is absolutely not the best team in college basketball. That is never true.
January 24th, 2019 at 9:35 AM ^
Tennessee just feels like a "placeholder" #1 right now. They're #1 by default. After last weekend, which other team could legitimately claim the top spot? Duke has 2 losses; UVA lost (albeit to Duke, @Duke, but still a loss); the Zags have 2 losses; we lost; Sparty has 2 losses...
Somebody had to be #1 this week and Tennessee was lucky enough to have their only loss occur earlier this season, so they get stuck at #1. It really doesn't matter at this point, and it certainly won't last.
January 24th, 2019 at 11:38 AM ^
My perception of Texas under Rick Barnes was that they typically achieved less than their perceived talent level would indicate.
January 24th, 2019 at 12:22 PM ^
Kind of like Michigan football, eh?
'blue
January 24th, 2019 at 12:51 PM ^
I watched the same game and had the opposite reaction. Grant Williams is the POY. Other guys like Zion Williamson have a higher potential to succeed in the NBA.
January 24th, 2019 at 4:43 PM ^
I'd be rooting for Tennessee to blow them out. Wisconsin's cute little brand of trashketball is disgusting to watch and seems specifically designed to screw teams over during conference play. There's a reason they always blow it in March (aside from when they had Kaminsky and Dekker. That team was legit).
January 24th, 2019 at 8:14 PM ^